Whole muscle meat for packaging is generally worked mechanically so as to mollify it, following which it is hermetically sealed in packaging for distribution. Often the meat may be required to be cooked, or part cooked, subsequent to it being packaged. Traditionally the packaging has been in the form of metal cans, and a hermetic seal has been obtained mechanically by roll seaming a lid onto the body of the can, possibly with a gasket interposed therebetween. Latterly, increasing use is being made of film packaging wherein a flange film receptacle is filled with the product, and a film cover is fusion welded to the flange to seal the receptacle. Typically the receptacles are vacuum formed in a continuous web of film, from which they are severed only subsequent to being filled and sealed. In at least one known type of packing machine, pairs of receptacles are transversely formed in the web.
The mollification of the meat tends to express natural juices therefrom. Liquid may well be added to the meat containing seasoning, gelatin or other additives. It is found that when using known types of meat dispensing apparatus for filling the receptacles, appreciable splashing of juices onto the web of the film may occur, whereby the package cannot be hermetically sealed without suitably cleansing the web.
It is then a primary object of this invention to provide product dispensing apparatus that reduces the incidence of splashing at the filling station.
It is another object of this invention to provide product dispensing apparatus that may be used for filling more than one package simultaneously.